


Just Being Neighborly

by ThirtySixSaveFiles



Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: M/M, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 19:11:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9004420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThirtySixSaveFiles/pseuds/ThirtySixSaveFiles
Summary: Jack receives an unexpected gift from an unexpected (but not unwelcome) source.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Borderlands Gift Exchange 2016](http://bl-giftexchange.tumblr.com/post/154885892881/to-crystalcaravanner-from-thirtysixsavefiles) for [crystalcaravanner](http://crystalcaravanner.tumblr.com).

Jack stamps the last of the snow from his boots before unlocking the door to his condo. He can’t wait to get inside out of the cold; he’d left the heat turned down before he’d left on this business trip, so it’ll be a while before he’s truly toasty, but at least inside it won’t be actively snowing on him.

Probably. He did leave the heat turned down pretty far.

But when he opens the door he’s greeted by a blast of warm air, and actual candlelight dancing on the walls - does he even  _ own _ any candles? - and his neighbor sitting on his couch and what the  _ fuck _ .

“Oh, hey.” Rhys puts down his phone and greets him with a smile, like this is normal, like they do this every day. “You’re home.”

Jack stands stock still in the doorway, as if not moving will somehow make this make sense.

Rhys is wearing a  _ Santa hat _ . Nothing about this makes sense.

Jack closes the door behind him, finally, because it is fucking freezing outside, and he’ll be damned if he stands in his own doorway like an idiot any longer than he absolutely has to. He drops his bag and stares Rhys down as he removes his gloves, flexing stiff fingers in the warm air. His neighbor smiles benignly back at him, as if breaking and entering is a normal part of their relationship -

Jack stops himself right there. He and Rhys don’t  _ have _ a relationship; they’re neighbors, nothing more, and just because their bedrooms share a wall and Jack has, has  _ heard _ things - none of that means that he and Rhys have a  _ relationship _ , or that Rhys has any business being on Jack’s couch at nearly nine in the evening.

Jack could make an argument for Rhys to be in his  _ bed _ at nine in the evening, but it mostly goes something like: “I can’t stop thinking about the way you smile at me when we run into each other at the mailbox, and I have maybe, once or twice (or three or four times, but who’s counting, really) jerked off to what I’m pretty sure is the sound of  _ you _ jerking off, so why don’t we just do the real thing because I’m betting it’d be pretty great.” As an opener, it lacks a certain subtlety.

“What are you doing here?” He says instead, because it looks like Rhys isn’t going to volunteer any information.

“You asked me to deliver any packages that came for you while you were gone,” and yes, Jack  _ had _ asked him to do that, but he had kind of thought that Rhys would bring them inside and then _ leave _ , not wait for him wrapped up in a maroon sweater that is making Jack’s fingers itch to see if it’s as pettable as it looks.

“I seem to have one more than I was expecting,” Jack says as he hangs up his coat. When he turns back around Rhys is flushing slightly, and that is  _ unfairly _ attractive and if he  _ doesn’t _ want Jack to go over and kiss him he had better get the hell out now.

“I’m moving next week,” Rhys says, and the non sequitur is like a splash of cold water to the face. Jack pauses in the act of taking off his scarf. Moving? As in - moving away?

“Yes, as in moving away,” Rhys says, amused, and Jack winces because he hadn’t meant to say that part out loud. It’s not like he has any kind of  _ claim _ on Rhys, much as he might like to.

“So,” Rhys continues, getting up from the couch and moving toward Jack, who is still standing frozen by the closet. “I thought I’d deliver your present in person.” Rhys pauses in front of Jack, and this close Jack can see the way Rhys’ breath hitches in his chest. “Just remember it’s returnable if you don’t want it.”

Rhys licks his lips, and Jack’s can’t help the way his eyes drop to watch them, so he’s not paying attention when Rhys leans forward and presses his mouth to Jack’s. Rhys’ lips are soft and warm and everything Jack thought they would be, but he must have taken too long to respond because now Rhys is pulling back, face falling and eyes averted, and  _ shit _ -

“I - I’m sorry, I thought - never mind, it was dumb, I’ll just - I’ll go -” Rhys is babbling but more importantly he’s backing up like he’s going to bolt at any second and Jack may have been caught off guard but like  _ hell _ if he’s letting this slip through his fingers.

“Not so fast, kitten.” Jack catches Rhys by the wrist, turning and pulling in the same movement so Rhys ends up pressed against the wall of Jack’s entryway. His eyes are wide and his face is uncertain, but he doesn’t resist at all when Jack presses his wrist to wall over his his head.

“I haven’t given you your present yet,” Jack murmurs, and he can feel Rhys’ pulse speeding up under his fingers, which is  _ fantastic _ , but what’s even better is they way Rhys responds when Jack kisses him, all eagerness and enthusiasm. Jack could stay here all night, drinking in the little noises Rhys makes when Jack nips gently at his mouth. Eventually, though, he does need to breathe, and Rhys gasps when Jack lifts his mouth away, pupils blown and stupid Santa hat askew. He looks so good like this, Jack can’t _ wait _ to see what he looks like shaking apart on Jack’s dick. Jack moves to nibble at the side of Rhys’ neck, savoring every hitched breath and drawn out sigh and the way that Rhys pulls him closer.

“Moving next week, you said? So your shit’s all packed.” Rhys makes a vague, dazed noise of affirmation and Jack grins into his neck.

“You’d better spend the night here, then,” Jack says, pulling back so he see the goofy smile spread across Rhys’ face. “Wouldn’t want to undo all that hard work.” Rhys snorts; but he’s pulling Jack back in for a kiss and Jack will take it, will take any amount of cheesy one-liners to have this, to have Rhys sighing into his mouth and wrapping his arms around Jack’s shoulders.

Best kind of present to come home to, hands down.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me at [ThirtySixSaveFiles](http://thirtysixsavefiles.tumblr.com) on Tumblr!


End file.
